Screen



c. I. LATTIG Oct. 6, .1942.

SCREEN Filed Aug. 50, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 f/wE/v 70/? CHARLES I.LATTIG,

Oct. 6, 1942.

c. LATTIG SCREEN Filed Aug. :50) 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [YVE/YTOR CHAREESI. LATTlG,

0a 6,- 1942. c. I. LATTIG 2,298,,060

SCREEN Filed Aug. 30, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 40 7 .Z/WE/WOR:

1? 7 CHARLES I. LATTIG,

Patented Oct. 6, 1942 UNi-TE- STATES r or ies SCREEN Charles I. Lattig,Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, acorporation of Ohio 10 Claims.

This invention relates to a screen or Other vibratory mechanism and anobject of, the invention:isi to provide an: improved structure of theabove: class including animproved type of suspension means for the deckframe.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the abovetype in which improved rectilinear, vibration imparting means isprovided for the screen deck frame, either alone or in combination withimproved suspension means for-said. deck frame.

Still another, object. of the invention is to provide a screeningapparatus with rugged reversely positionable discharge-mechanism for thescreen material which may be, selectively discharged from opposite sidesthereof.

Other objects ofthe. invention will appear hereinafter, the: novelfeatures; and; combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying, drawings,

Fig. 1 is; a side elevational view of a screencomprising my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of. the screen of Fig. 1:

Fig. 3- is a side elevational viewof the. screen showing the oppositeside'than thatof Fig. l and showing the discharge pan removed;

Fig. 4. is a sectionalview showing particularly the detailedconstructionof the; discharge pan and taken on the line 4-4; of. Fig. 2- looking, inthe direction of the. arrows;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged. sectional elevational view of the reciprocatingmechanism taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of thearrows.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed view with parts shown in section, showingone of the suspension devices and takenon the line 66- of Fig. 2 lookingin the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is'a transverse sectional view of the deck taken on the line; ofFig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view' taken on the line 8'8.of Fig. 5looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring. to the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the screencomprising my invention has a main frame I'll formed. by a pair ofspaced side plates H, I 1, preferably provided at their edges withreinforcing integral flanges which are preferably widened at the bottomsof the side plates H to form runners or supporting plates I2.

Extending between and, rigidly attached at their opposite ends to theside plates l I, H, as

by welding, is a plurality'of pipes l3, I4, I 5 and I6.

Also extending between and welded to saidside plates H, H along thelateral edges thereof is a plate I'i which acts as a sluiceway tosupport the liquid and screened material as hereinafter described morecompletely. The upper end of the plate I! is bent to form a transversesupport for a feed chute H! by which material is fed to be screened, atypical example of which is the mud used' in the drilling of oil wells,the function of the screen being to remove the shale from the mud, whichis. of course in a very liquid state, to permit reuse of the mud in thedrilling operation.

The feed chute I8 includes a top cross-angle !-9 which cooperates-withthe bottom of the chute to support a plurality of guide vanes 26 whichare pivotally adjustable about upright bolts 2|. The guide vanes 20 maybe adjusted to direct the flow of incoming mud to various parts of thescreen to obtain the desired uniformity of distribution thereof over thescreen surface.

To control the fiow of the-'mud further and to discharge it onto thescreen surface, the feed chute i8. is also provided with a. pivoted damplate 22 which is pivotally attached adjacent its top by bolts 23 tothetop. of the feed chute As clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of thedrawings, an elongated orifice 24 is provided at the bottom of the damplate 22. and thedischarge edge of the feed chute [8 to permit the mudtoflow downwardly onto the screen. The sizeof this orifice 2.4 isautomatically adjustable in response to the fluid flow over the feedchute l8 by the freely swinging action of the dam plate 22 provided bythe pivot bolts 23.

Suspended from the main frame 10 by suspension means hereinafterdescribed in complete detail is a deck 25. The deck 25 comprises a framehaving longitudinally extending side membars 26 which at spacedintervals are interconnected by a plurality of transversely extendingbars 21 (see Fig. '7) which are preferably upwardly bowed toward thecenter of the deck 25 and are provided with integral upwardly extendingarms 28, which arms 28 terminate in integral inwardly extending fingers29. As clearly seen by reference to Fig. 7 of the drawings, the sidemembers 26 are rigidly attached to the upstanding arms 28 of the bars21, preferably by welding.

Extending upwardly at an angle from each of the side members 26 is apair of plates 30 and 3|, the bottoms of which plates are preferablywelded to the top edge of said side members 26.

Extending transversely across the deck and forming a part of the framethereof is a pair of pipes 32 and 33, the opposite ends of which arerigidly attached, as by welding, to pairs of said plates and 3 I,respectively.

Extending between the two pipes 32 and 33 and rigidly attached to them,as by welding, is a Z shaped supporting plate 34 to which is attached areciprocating mechanism 35 hereinafter described in complete detail.

Also extending upwardly at an angle from each side member 26 is a pairof plates 36 and 31 between which, and extending transversely across thedeck 25 and forming a part thereof, are angle members 38 and 39 (seeFig. 1) which are preferably welded to said plates 36 and 31respectively. As hereinafter described in complete detail, the plates 36and 31 and the angle members 38 and 39 cooperate with flexiblesuspension means to suspend the deck 25 from the main frame H] forvibration with respect thereto under the control of the reciprocatingmechanism 35.

Extending longitudinally of and forming a part of the frame of the deck25 is a plurality of laterally spaced rods 40 which are welded to thecross bars 21.

The rods 40 are provided with soft rubber strips 4| forming bearing capsover which is stretched a screen cloth 42 which is stretched laterallyacross the deck frame by stretching mechanisms 43 at opposite endsthereof which are pivotally attached to transversely extending rods 44welded to the bottoms of the fingers 29 of said deck frame.

While I have illustrated the deck as formed with the screen cloth 42, itis to be understood that my invention is not necessarily so limited,

but the deck 25 may have a perforated bottom plate or it may have animperforate bottom plate, in which case the mechanism, instead of beinga screen, would be used as a conveyor or feeder;

and it is to be particularly understood that the suspension mechanismand the reciprocating mechanism, either of them alone or in combination,may be employed with any such deck construction as above suggested.

Attention is now directed particularly to the suspension means for thedeck 25 by which it is suspended for vibration with respect to the mainframe l0, which forms one important feature of my invention.

Referring particularly to Fig. 6 of the drawings, it will be noted thatattached to the pipe |3 at a position between the side of the deck 25and a side plate ll of the main frame It] is a tensioned hanger strap 45which is preferably in the form of a flat belt of woven fabric material,such as fabric reinforced rubber belting or fabricated brake-liningmaterial. The strap 45 has one end wrapped about the pipe |3 asaforementioned, and the free end is rigidly attached to the strap,preferably by sewing and riveting though any other desired attachingmethod or means may be employed. The strap 45 then extends from the pipe|3 to the pipe |4 about which it is wrapped and from which it extends totensioning means 46, preferably in the form of a turn-buckle to which itis attached by a bifurcated yoke 41 (see Fig. 2), which yoke carries acylinder 48 about which the strap 45 is Wrapped and rigidly attached inthe manner above described in connection with its attachment to the pipeI3.

By reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seen thatthere is another strap 49 somewhat similarly associated with the pipesl5 and I6 adjacent the front end of the screen, and when one end of thestrap 49 is attached to a yoke 50 similar to the yoke 41 which is alsoassociated with the tensioning means 46, it is obvious that by adjustingthe turn-buckle or tensioning means 46 the two straps 45 and 49 on oneside of the screen may be simultaneously tensioned, It is of courseevident that the suspen-- sion and tensioning means .above described areduplicated on each side of the screen and the two sides areindependently adjustable.

To suspend the deck 25 from the four straps 45, 49 the aforedescribedangle members 38 and 39 which form part of the deck frame are attachedto said straps intermediate their points of attachment or bearing pointswith respect to the main frame ID; that is, angle member 38 is attachedto the straps 45 at the rear end of the device intermediate the pointswhere said straps 45 are attached to or bear on the pipes I3 and I4, andeach such attachment is effected by a clamp plate 5| which is bolted orotherwise removably attached on opposite sides of the straps 45 to theangle member 38.

Similar means is provided to attach the two forward straps 49 to theangle member 39. It is of course evident that the angle members 38 and39 extend laterally beyond the side members 26 of deck 25 to provide fortheir attachment to the straps 45 and 49. However, they terminate shortof the side plates ll of frame l0 so as not to interfere with the freevibration of the deck 25.

Attention is now directed particularly to Figs. 2, 5 and 8 of thedrawings and to the reciprocating mechanism 35 which imparts thevibratory or reciprocatory motion to the deck 25. Extending transverselybetween the side plates H of the main frame l0 and rigidly attachedthereto, as by welding, is an inverted channel plate 52 upon which issupported an electric driving motor 53.

Also mounted on the plate 52 and rigidly attached thereto is a bearinghousing 54 through which extends a shaft 55 mounted on roller bearings56, 56 which provide for free rotation of the shaft 55 but restrict itagainst axial movement with respect to the housing 54.

Removable adjusting and lock nuts 51 are threaded on the shaft 55 todetachably connect it to the inner recesses of the bearings 56, 56. Theshaft 55 extends through grease seal forming openings in end plates 58and 59 of the housing 54. At its upper end the shaft 55 has keyedthereto a drive pulley 60 which is driven from a pulley on the motor 53by a belt 6|. At its lower end the shaft 55 carries a wabble plate 62which is keyed thereto and is removably held thereon by a keyed nut 63.The wabble plate 62 is provided with opposite bearing trackways whichrun between a pair of rollers 64 and 65, the former of which is mountedon the shaft 66 carried by a bracket which is rigidly attached to ahousing 61, which housing 61 is in turn rigidly attached to theaforedescribed supporting plate 34 formed rigid with the deck 25. Theroller is mounted on a shaft 68' which is carried by a bracket formed bytwo plates 69 and 10 which extend between two plates 1| forming an arm(see Fig. 8) of a 'bell crank lever, which plates 1| are rigidlyattached to a pivot pipe 12, as by welding, which pipe 12 is pivoted ona bolt 13 extending between upright side plates 14, 14 of the housing61.

The plates Tl also extend forward toform the other arm of the bell cranklever and at their free ends are connected by a cross-angle 15.

Also extending between the arms H, H and adjacent and attached to theplates 69 and T is a bearing plate [6 provided with a boss H whichreceives a rather strong coil spring 18 adapted to be adjusted as to itscompression action by an adjusting screw 19 which threads through a nutBli-rigidl'y attached to the plate 34, as by welding, and with whichscrew T9 is associated a lock nut 8!.

It is evident that the spring 18 will urge the rollers 64 and 65 againstthe wabble plate. 62. To insure that the rollers 64 and 55 will alwaysbe in contact with the wabble plate 62 is. the

function of the coil spring 18. However, to prevent an undue amount offriction between them, an adjustable stop is provided by a set screw 82which cooperates with the aforedescribed crossangle '15 on the other legof the bell crank lever and that which carries the roller 55. Inadjusting the mechanism, the set screw 32 is released so that the tworollers 55'and 54 bear strongly against the wabble plate 52. Thereafter,set screw 82 is adjusted to move roller-65 away from the wabble plate 62and against the action of spring 18 until the wabble plate 62 rollsfreely between the rollers 64 and 65 without undue friction.

In addition to the structure above described, it may be pointed out thatthe housing 6'! is provided with a removable cover plate 83 whichprovides access to the interior thereof for purposes of lubrication,inspection and repair. Furthermore, at its front end the housing isprovided with a sleeve 84 through which the shaft 55' extends and aflexible bellows 85 inter-connects the sleeve 84 and the aforementionedend plate 59 of the stationary bearing housing 54, thus providing forfree reciprocation of the housing 6? with respect to the housing 54while preventing a loss of lubrication from either and preventing anyaccess to either housing, thereby keeping dust and water out of both ofthem.

It is evident from the above description of the reciprocating mechanismthat the-motor 53 will drive the shaft 55 to rotate it which producesrotation of the wabble plate 62. Rotation of the wabble plate 62 willcause the housing 61 to rei.

ciprocate in a rectilinear motion because as the wabble plate 52rotates, it will cause the two rollers 64 and 65 to' move rectilineallyalong the axis of the shaft 55, which motion is of course imparted tothe housing 61, thence to the plate 34 and to the deck by way of pipes32, 33 and plates 35, 5|.

It has been found in practice that a rectilinear motion is veryimportant for this type of screen, particularly as it is very efficientto screen material and at the same time effects a conveying actionindependent of the action of gravity. This is particularly useful alsowhere an imperforate deck is provided due to the conveying action on thematerial. Furthermore, in order to prevent destruction of the parts andto provide for a high efiiciency of operation, it is to be noted thatthe rectilinear motion imparted to the deck 25 by the reciprocatingmechanism is along an axis which is at right angles to the longitudinalaxes of the suspension straps and 49. operation the straps 45 and 49 aremerely defiected at right angles to their longitudinal axes and a trueor substantial right angle or perpendicular relation of this characteris extremely Consequently, in

important; otherwise, a considerable amount of energywill be dissipatedin stretching the straps 45 and 49 which would do no useful work,therefore decreasing the efiiciency of the screen while at the same timegreatly reducing the lives of the straps 45, 49. I

Attention is now directed particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 and toanother feature of my invention which provides for the discharge of thescreened material to either side of the screen as desired. 1

Extending transversely between the side plates H and rigidly attachedthereto is a front angle member 35 and a rear angle member 81. The anglemembers and 87 form supports for a transversely slidable pan 83 whichhas bent over flanges 89 and 90 formed on the side walls thereof adaptedto ride on the upper edges of the angle members 86 and 81, respectively,and be slidably supported thereby.

The pan 88 is provided with a closure or door 9! at one end (see Fig. 1)and a discharge spout 92 at the other end which is open to permit freedischarge of liquid from said pan '88. The pan bottom is also'providedwith a reinforcing rib 93.

Each of the side plates H is provided with an opening 94 so that the pan88 may readily slide therethrough from either side of the completedevice; that is, the pan may be reversed so that the discharge spout 92is either on the right hand side or onthe left-hand side.

It is furthermore to be noted that the plate H which receives materialpassing through the upper part of the screen cloth 42 is provided at itslower end with a downwardly extending flange 95 which extends down intothe pan 88 thereby insuring a discharge of all of the material on saidplate I? into the pan 88 without any spillage. It may additionally benoted that the front angle member 85 has a further functionin that itacts as a discharge chute for the material which passes over the forwardend of the screen cloth 42 or bottom of the deck 25.

In the operation of the device, material to be screened, such as freelyflowing mud used in the drilling of wells, is fed to the feed chute l8by which it is fed under the regulation of the guide vanes 25 and damplate 22 to the vibrating deck 25 which is supported by the suspensionmeans, including the tensioned hanger straps 45, 49. The deck 25 isreciprocated with a rectilinear motion along an axis which issubstantially at right angles to the axes of the hanger straps 45 and49; The liquid and smaller particles of material or the usable mud passthrough the screen cloth 25 and are received either on the plate I! ordirectly into the pan 88. That material which is received. on the plateI! flows down it and into the pan 88 from which the material isdischarged laterally to the right or to the left, depending upon thepositioning of the pan 88, to any desired receptacle or tank.

The above mentioned reciprocatory motion is effective to convey thematerial, such as shale, which will not pass through the screen cloth 42and to discharge it over the front end of the deck 25. This conveyingaction is of course a positive conveying action due to the fact that thedeck 25 has a rectilinear motion with components which are both verticaland horizontal which are eifective to convey the material positivelywhen on the screen cloth 42. Furthermore, due to the sloping of the deck25, this conveying action is aided by gravity. This downward sloping ofthe screen is not essential, for

the conveying action will take place even if the screen 42 is horizontalor slightly inclined upwardly.

As was above set forth, the reciprocating mechanism and the suspensionmechanism for the deck 25 are both useful individually and incombination in other vibratory apparatus than screens, for example, invibratory conveyors or feeders in which instance the deck bottom isusually but not necessarily imperforate.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in thedetails and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and Itherefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction hereindisclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what Idesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a screen, the combination with a frame, of a screening deck, meansfor vibrating said screening deck with a rectilinear motion, flexibletensioned fabric strap means supporting said deck for vibration, saidstrap means being tensioned along axes substantially at right angles tothe axis of said rectilinear motion, and means for tensioning saidfabric strap means independently of the weight of said deck.

2. In a screen, the combination with a frame, of a screening deck, meansfor vibrating said screening deck with a rectilinear motion, flexibletensioned fabric strap means supporting said deck for vibration, andmeans for tensioning said strap means independently of the weight ofsaid deck.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a mainframe, of a deck frame, means for vibrating said deck frame with respectto said main frame, means for supporting said deck frame from said mainframe comprising tensioned flexible fabric hangers on opposite sides ofsaid deck frame, and means for tensioning said fabric hangersindependently of the weight of said deck.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a mainframe, of a deck frame, means for vibrating said deck frame with respectto said main frame, means for supporting said deck frame from said mainframe comprising tensioned flexible fabric hangers each having twobearing points on one of said frames and one bearing and attaching pointon the other, and means for tensioning each of said hangers between saidtwo bearing points on said one frame independently of its attachment tothe other.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a mainframe, of a deck frame, means for vibrating said deck frame relative tosaid main frame, and means supporting said deck frame from said mainframe comprising tensioned hanger straps and tensioning means connectedto two of said hanger straps, said tensioning means being constructedand arranged to tension said hanger straps independently of the presenceor absence of said deck frame.

6. Apparatus of the class described comprising a main frame, a deckframe, suspension means including tensioned fabric means attached atopposite ends to said main frame, and intermediate its ends to said deckframe, and means for tensioning said suspension means independently ofthe weight of said deck frame.

'7. Apparatus of the class described comprising a main frame, a deckframe, suspension means including tensioned fabric means attached atopposite ends to one of said frames and intermediate its ends to saidother frame, and means for tensioning said suspension meansindependently of its attachment to said other frame.

8. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a mainframe, of a deck frame, flexible suspension mechanism for said deckframe comprising flexible elongated members spaced along one side ofsaid frames, means attaching one end of each flexible member to the mainframe, bearing and supporting means for each flexible member also onsaid main frame, tensioning means interconnecting the free ends of saidflexible members, and means attaching the deck frame to each flexiblemember intermediate its points of bearing on said main frame.

9. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a mainframe, of a deck frame, means for vibrating said deck frame relative tosaid main frame, means for supporting said deck frame from said mainframe for vibration along a substantially rectilinear axis comprising atleast two longitudinally spaced tensionable hanger means each having anaxis substantially at right angles to said rectilinear axis and spacedlaterally of said deck frame, and means for tensioning each of saidhanger means independently of the weight of said deck frame.

10. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a frame,of a screen on said frame, means below said screen for catching materialpassing therethrough including a pan having side walls extending fromone side of said screen to the other side thereof, said pan having onepermanent end closure with the other end open to discharge materiallaterally of said frame, means including supports on said frame forsupporting said pan for sliding movement with the end closure thereofalternately on opposite sides of said frame, said frame having similaropenings on opposite sides thereof to receive the pan in reversepositions.

CHARLES I. LATTIG.

